Multiple radio systems are often present in vehicles, such as cars, trucks, or boats, each operative in a different frequency band. Typically, one antenna for each band is used. Separate mounting hardware via a drilled hole in the exterior surface of the vehicle (e.g., roof or trunk in the case of an automobile) is thus required for each antenna. Also, there is a risk of RF interference between antennas if improperly positioned with respect to each other. Accordingly, single multiple band antennas have been designed to simplify installation. For example, an antenna operable in VHF, UHF, and cellular frequency bands is the Multi-Frequency Antenna, Model no. MGNT-TB-V/U/C, manufactured by STI-CO Industries, Inc. of Orchard Park, N.Y. Although this antenna provides the desired tri-band performance, its design has been considered non-esthetically pleasing when mounted on a vehicle due to its eight radially spaced antenna elements that extend from the mounting base about a mast antenna element. The eight radially spaced antenna elements creates a cage-like appearance, especially due to the star shaped plate coupled to the eight antenna elements near the tops thereof to retain their position with respect to the central antenna element. Also, as the vehicle travels wind passing through this antenna's multiple elements can cause undesirable noise, such as whistling. Thus, a tri-band antenna is desirable having fewer antenna elements while providing similar tri-band performance to the above cited STI-CO antenna thereby avoiding undesirable noise and provide a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Other multi-band antennas exist which rely instead on a single mast design, but often have narrow bandwidth bands making such antennas more limited in their applications. Moreover, some antennas are called multi-band, but cannot provide simultaneous operation at each of their multiple bands. For example, single mast multi-band antennas are manufactured by Autotek Limited of Taiwan under brand Opek®.